Sport for development (SFD) initiatives have faced numerous criticisms around the focus on individual-level (micro) outcomes and lack of integration at the community (meso) and structural (macro) levels. As a result, there is growing recognition that programmes need to find ways to work with and engage a wide range of community members and stakeholders through more inclusive, participatory approaches. One such approach is known as Living Labs. In the following conceptual article, we present the Sport and Social Cohesion Lab (SSCL) project, which implemented a Living Lab approach in various sport-based programmes from four different European countries. The main components of the Living Lab framework are presented, and practical insights are derived from the project. In addition, the unique and sometimes critical role of sport is reflected upon in relation to the Living Lab context. Through this, this article provides practitioners and academics with potential building blocks to implement Living Labs and/or embed participatory approaches in sport and physical activity contexts and social settings more generally.
To face the challenges of an ageing population, many Western countries nowadays stimulate an ageing in place policy to empower older adults to grow old in their own homes with the highest degree of self‐reliance. However, many community‐living older adults experience limitations in (instrumental) activities of daily living ((I)ADLs), which may result in a need for home‐care services. Unfortunately, home‐care workers often provide support by taking over tasks, as they are used to doing things for older adults rather than with them, which undermines their possibilities to maintain their self‐care capabilities. In contrast, reablement focuses on capabilities and opportunities of older adults, rather than on disease and dependency. Consequently, older adults are stimulated to be as active as possible during daily and physical activities. The 'Stay Active at Home' programme was designed to train home‐care workers to apply reablement in practice. To explore the experiences of home‐care workers with this programme an exploratory study was conducting in the Netherlands, between April and July, 2017. In total, 20 participants were interviewed: nine nurses (including a district nurse), 10 domestic support workers and the manager of the domestic support workers. The semi‐structured interviews focused on the experienced improvements with regard to knowledge, skills, self‐efficacy and social support. Furthermore, the most and least appreciated programme components were identified. The study has shown that home‐care workers perceived the programme as useful to apply reablement. However, they also need more support with mastering particular skills and dealing with challenging situations. Future implementation of the 'Stay Active at Home' programme can potentially benefit from small adaptions. Furthermore, future research is needed to examine whether the programme leads to more (cost‐) effective home care.
This literature review applies Wenger’s community of practice framework as a theoretical lens to generate insight about the complex collaborative processes of living labs. The authors explore this model with insights from the literature on labs and then set out to understand higher educational living labs. The findings show that current research on lab practices is limited, the field is scattered, and there is little common perspective across disciplines. The authors advocate for more research on the actual social processes. Only then can living labs hold their promise of integrating learning and innovation in higher education.
For the development of a circular economy and the reduction of the environmental impact of supply chains, the sharing of reliable information throughout the entire chain is a prerequisite. In practice, this is difficult to realise which blockchain can improve. BCLivingLab aims to explore the application of blockchain technology in supply chain and logistics. The project develops four physical hubs and a virtual repository for blockchain knowledge to support SME’s in developing use-cases and experiment with blockchain applications. The ambition is to build a community of interested stakeholders and to be involved in current and future blockchain initiatives.
For the development of a circular economy and the reduction of the environmental impact of supply chains, the sharing of reliable information throughout the entire chain is a prerequisite. In practice, this is difficult to realise which blockchain can improve. BCLivingLab aims to explore the application of blockchain technology in supply chain and logistics. The project develops four physical hubs and a virtual repository for blockchain knowledge to support SME’s in developing use-cases and experiment with blockchain applications. The ambition is to build a community of interested stakeholders and to be involved in current and future blockchain initiatives.
Als invulling voor de City Deal Kennis Maken willen de gemeente Leeuwarden en de onderwijsinstellingen (MBO, HBO en WO) in nauwe samenwerking met bedrijfsleven en maatschappelijke instellingen hun krachten bundelen voor het oplossen van relevante vraagstukken. De stad heeft gezien de rurale context in Noord-Nederland een brede definitie, onder het motto “De Stad als campus, de regio als proeftuin”. De uitgangspunten zijn: - Er wordt in eerste instantie gewerkt aan thema’s en uitgangspunten vanuit de Kennisagenda Fryslân die vanuit het Hoger Onderwijs Akkoord Fryslân, naar een innovatieve en lerende regio is opgesteld, - De uitdagingen worden aangepakt vanuit een multi-disciplinaire en multi-level (MBO, HBO en WO) aanpak. - De activiteiten vinden zoveel mogelijk plaats in zogenaamde living labs . - Het Innovatie Pact Fryslân, een samenwerkingsverband tussen het Friese hoger onderwijs, het beroepsonderwijs, het bedrijfsleven, de provincie Fryslân en de F4 gemeenten en Hoger Onderwijs Akkoord Fryslân overleg (zie figuur 2) als strategisch platform inzetten. In algemene zin de activiteiten die in dit kader uitgevoerd gaan worden zijn: 1. Het aanstellen van een kwartiermaker/ kennismakelaar die maatschappelijke vraagstukken in kaart brengt en kan koppelen aan de partners. 2. Als pilot, het inrichten van een aantal living labs op basis van een multi-disciplinaire- en multi-level aanpak. Studenten van meerdere kennisinstellingen en verschillende opleidingen zullen hieraan deelnemen om meerdere invalshoeken te krijgen om de maatschappelijke uitdagingen aan te pakken. Als hoogtepunt zal er een groot inspiratie-event georganiseerd worden (“Fryslân breekt uit”). 3. Het opstellen van een gezamenlijke living lab agenda, waarin gewerkt wordt aan de afstemming en uitvoering van de living labs. NHL Stenden Hogeschool zal als penvoerder optreden en met de gemeente Leeuwarden als consortiumpartners aan te merken. Daarnaast zullen de O3 partners (onderwijs/onderzoek/ondernemers) verenigd binnen het IPF een belangrijke rol krijgen voor afstemming, maar ook in de uitvoer.
